The Halls of the Forgotten
Peacocks and hens strutting around in superiority
As if the challenge of our presence was an insult
Wandering between picnic tables seeking crumbs
Becoming braver by the minute and closer
I sense my cornetto ice cream has been espied
Their diet now extends beyond seeds and corn
In the background are the remains of a hall
The magnificence in stone is now a ghost in ruins
Names are to be found in the history of wealth
Though how the fortunes changed is mystery
Now only the skeleton of a stately home remains
The Italian influences show around the stone
Holding the secrets of more glorious times
A hall where nobles once sat and feasted
Lies cold and bare the tapestries are gone
No more shall minstrels play upon their lutes
The long gallery where her ladyship did walk
Now open to the heavens only the walls remain
Rooms ravaged by the storms over years
Ceilings collapsed with plaster strewn on floors
Windows that survived covered with dirt
An aged beauty decaying from lack of love
Beyond the hall keen eyes can search
To see the foundations of the village
Removed because an owner disliked the view
These sites that draw me to them each year
To see the glimpse of a past preserved
Stone and mortar are the memory we have
But hidden within the walls are stories untold
The lives of those in the halls of the forgotten
Whose tales would surely add interest to the scene
Copyright: David Hopcroft December 2025
Park Bench Tales and other writings 